The Weather in Lyon
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Lyon Climate
Lyon sits in the Rhone Valley, where the River Rhone and River Soane meet, and sprawls over flat land between the mountains of the Massif Central and the Alps. It is situated in the eastern central region of France and has a temperate continental climate with hot summers and cool winters. Rainfall is moderate all year round but can be unpredictable.
Below is a graph showing the average annual minimum and maximum temperatures in Lyon.
In summer during June until September, temperatures range from 24°C in June to a high of 27°C in July and coming back down towards 23°C by September. Humidity is low and night time temperatures are around 14°C, although slightly cooler at either end of the season. The sun shines for ten hours per day in July while other summer months see around eight. Year round rainfall levels do not experience much variation and it is quite frequent and falls in short storms. September is technically the wettest month in the year.
Autumn in October and November experiences a drop in temperatures and is less sunny. The average high temperature is 16°C in October then down to 10°C in November. Night time temperatures drop below 10°C seeing an average low of 7°C in October, and 4°C in November. Around the end of November the temperature can sometimes drop below freezing and frosts are likely with rainfall remaining moderate and unpredictable.
In winter from December up until February, temperatures above 10°C are rare and night time lows drop to around freezing. Precipitation is moderate and often falling as snow or sleet. Low night time temperatures can freeze precipitation on the roads and there can be heavy snow falls in the mountains. Lyon is not too far from a wide variety of magnificent ski resorts such as Serre Chevalier and les Deux Alpes.
From March until May is spring time and there is a gradual return to pleasant temperatures and sunny days. The average high temperatures rises from 13°C in March, to a mild 16°C in April, to a warm 20°C in May. Night times remain very cool where the average low temperature does not get above 10°C until the very end of the season.
The climate in Lyon can be attributed to its location in the low valley between two mountain ranges, its latitude in the northern hemisphere, and its distance from the sea. Lyon experiences a slightly more extreme temperature than the regions either side of the mountains that surround it as it is blocked from the moderating effects of the sea. The dry mistral wind from the east is channelled down the Rhone Valley, and brings to Lyon its hotter summers and colder winters. The surrounding mountains draw precipitation to themselves and away from the valley